Organizational Pathologies

general courses

(in Polish) Zajęcia dedykowane tylko studentom Wydziału Prawa i Administracji UW.

Remote learning

This course is an overview of organizational pathologies. It will help to develop the ability to identify organizational dysfunctions and pathologies. The course focuses on the sources and consequences of organizational dysfunctions and the psychological, structural and cultural issues people face when dealing with organizational pathologies.

During the classes, issues related to the determinants of organizational pathologies are discussed. The aim of the classes is, among others, showing examples of pitfalls accompanying the use of popular management techniques. The lecture will cover, among others: issues such as:

1."The dark side of organization and management"

• Pathologies,

• Dysfunctions,

• Mistakes,

• Malfunctions

2. Sources of dysfunctions and pathologies in organization and management,

• Historical and ahistorical perception of organizational pathologies and management pathologies

• Pathologies forced from the outside

3.Pathology examination

• Research limitations

• Pathology research in business and administration

4.Evolution of the perception of phenomena

• Continuity of change and turning points

5.Goal shifts

6.Dysfunctions and pathologies in administration - theory and examples

• Ideal model or "ideal" model of bureaucracy

• Critical minimum specifications and vicious circles of bureaucracy,

• Mechanisms of learned incompetence

7.From internal emigration to sabotage

• Oppressive organizational solutions

• Contradiction of expectations towards employees

8. Pathologies in business

• Robinson and Bennett typology

• Selected pathologies: theft, mobbing, sabotage

9. Avoiding cooperation as a pathology of the organization

10. Dysfunctional organizational games

• Sources of games in the organization

• The stakes of the game

• Conditions for constructive play

11.Organizational mismatches as a source of dysfunction

[1] Pasieczny J. (2005) Dlaczego kryzys nie musi prowadzić do rozwoju Przegląd Organizacji 6/2005, pp. 7–11

[2] Pasieczny J (2016) Źródła patologii organizacyjnych w “Zarządzanie i Finanse. Journal of Management and Finance”, vol. 14 No 3/2/2016, Wydział Zarządzania Uniwersytetu Gdańskiego, s. 171-186.

[3] Pasieczny J. Michalewska K. (2018) Dysfunkcjonalne niedopasowania organizacyjne – istota i konsekwencje, w „Organizacja i zarządzanie”, Zeszyty Naukowe Politechniki Śląskiej z. 118, Gliwice 2018, s. 445-456.

[4] Gestmann M. (2001). Sabotaż w miejscu pracy. Kraków: Wydawnictwo Profesjonalnej Szkoły Biznesu.

[5] Guy M. (1989). From Organizational Decline to Organizational Reneval: the Phoenix Syndrome. New York: Quorum Books.

[6] Hensel P. (2008). Transfer wzorców zarządzania. Warszawa: Dom Wydawniczy Elipsa.

[7] Scott W.R. (1992). Organizations: Rational, Natural and Open Systems. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall., p.25.

[8] Samuel Y. (2010). Organizational Pathology. Life and Death of Organizations, New Brunswick: Transaction Publishers

Knows and understands to an advanced level the principles, procedures and practices relating to the activities of various types of organizations, its key functions (operational, marketing, financial, personnel management) and its relations with the environment, as well as mechanisms destabilizing organizations (K_W02)

Is able to correctly interpret technological, social, political, legal, economic and ecological processes and phenomena and their positive and negative impact on the functioning of the organization and the entire economy, using the appropriate selection of sources. (K_U02)

Is ready to assess and critically approach situations and phenomena related to the dysfunctional functioning of the organization, sector and the entire economy. (K_K01)

Is ready to comply with professional ethical standards (K_K03)

Learning outcomes will be verified on an ongoing basis through tasks performed by participants during the lecture and finally during the assessment (test).